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17 free things to do in New York City this December
By
Anthony Schneck
Published Nov 29, 2023
Modified Nov 30, 2023
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By
Anthony Schneck
Published Nov 29, 2023
Modified Nov 30, 2023
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Want to enjoy the holiday season without burning a hole through your bank account? It may sound impossible in a place like New York City, but it’s not.
With this list of fun, free activities to enjoy this December, you’ll hopefully have some money left over to splurge on gifts for loved ones, take yourself out to a nice dinner, or simply swim through your cash like Scrooge McDuck.
Stroll through the lights in Dyker Heights
Every year after Thanksgiving, Brooklynites in Dyker Heights go all-out with their holiday decorations, transforming the neighborhood into an impressive public display. You can typically find the displays lit up between dusk and 9 p.m. all through December and into the first week of January. For more tips, check out our guide to Dyker Heights Christmas lights. Through approximately the first week in January, Dyker Heights.
A Dyker Heights house decked in holiday lights in 2021.
See "Broadway Under the Stars"
If you want a taste of Broadway musicals without having to spring for a ticket, consider "Broadway Under the Stars." Every Thursday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., you can enjoy performances from some of the most popular shows on currently, including "Chicago," "Shucked" and "The Lion King*."* Thursdays: Nov. 30, Dec. 7 and Dec. 14 at 5 p.m., The Shops at Columbus Circle; details here.
Ashley D. Kelley and Grey Henson in "Shucked" by Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman
Photo by Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman / Courtesy of "Shucked"
Blast tunes on "Unsilent Night"
Caroling is so passé — why not get a Bluetooth speaker, join a group of strangers, and pump music through the streets of Greenwich Village? Composer Phil Kline will lead people from Washington Square Park to Tompkins Square Park on Sunday, Dec. 17, with participants expected to play one of four original tracks through Bluetooth speakers or a boombox. (You have to bring your own.) Sunday, Dec. 17 at 6 p.m., Washington Square Park; details here.
A scene from a previous year's "Unsilent Night."
Photo by Jena Cumbo / Courtesy of "Unsilent Night"
Visit critters at Brooklyn Bridge Park
Get to know Brooklyn Bridge Park a little better by checking out the Environmental Education Center during its free open hours. The center features an aquarium filled with “critters from the East River” (yikes!), as well as crafts and educational materials. It’s likely to delight kids and maybe even grownups. Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., through Dec. 12; details here.
Go for a jog with a community of runners
There’s no reason to put off your resolutions until January. New York Road Runners has led free weekly runs throughout the city for nearly a decade, and the holiday season is a great time to start a new habit or return to an old hobby. You can find NYRR Open Runs at parks throughout all five boroughs; all ages, experience levels, and abilities welcome. Why wait if you're into it? Weekly throughout the city and New Jersey; details here.
An open run in Inwood Park.
Courtesy of New York Road Runners
Learn to salsa dance
Winter is the perfect time to heat things up by learning how to salsa dance. Every Sunday at La Diáspora in Chinatown, you can get about 45 minutes of free salsa lessons starting at 3 p.m. If you’re hungry beforehand, you can buy yourself brunch, or a cocktail to make getting in the dancing mood a little easier. Sundays from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., Chinatown; details here.
Selena and Ximena teach salsa dancing at La Diáspora Bar & Restaurant.
Courtesy of La Diáspora Bar & Restaurant
Get (almost) naked at a burlesque night
Push your boundaries this December by attending — and possibly participating in — a free burlesque show at Bushwick’s famed House of Yes. Hot & Fresh Burlesque Night encourages first-time performers and audience members to try their hands at this daring art. How’s that for holiday cheer? Wednesday, Dec. 6, 7 p.m., Bushwick; details here.
A scene from House of Yes's amateur burlesque night.
Photo by Brynne Levy / Courtesy of House of Yes
Visit "Shine Bright" at Hudson Yards
More lights! You can check out more than 2 million of them at Hudson Yards’ "Shine Bright" display. In addition to more than 115 miles of string lights, you’ll see hundreds of evergreen trees and gigantic holiday decorations, including a 32-foot hot air balloon. Folks with kids can also stop by Level 3 of the shopping center between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m, Monday through Friday, to take a free picture with Santa. Through Jan. 7 (Santa only sticks around until Dec. 22), Hudson Yards; details here.
Shine Bright Only at Hudson Yards Presented by Wells Fargo
Courtesy of Hudson Yards
Attend a bilingual drawing workshop
The Drawing Center’s current exhibition, which focuses on the work of draftsman Stéphane Mandelbaum, serves as the inspiration for this workshop. Presented in both English and Spanish, the workshop will provide attendees with an opportunity to reflect on Mandelbaum’s often-disturbing art while creating something unique of their own. As a bonus, the center will provide all art materials needed, so you just have to show up with an open mind. The experience is recommended for those 18 and older. Sunday, Dec. 16, 11:30 a.m., Soho; details and registration here.
Check out the New York Public Library’s collection of treasures
Over the course of its 125-year history, the New York Public Library has accumulated some pretty astounding artifacts. Thanks to the Polonsky Exhibition, the best of these are on display during regular library hours. Highlights include portraits, early sound recordings, copies of the Declaration of Independence, letters from Christopher Columbus, and a Gutenberg Bible. Ongoing during regular library hours, Midtown; details here.
A tutu worn by Alexandra Danilova (1903–1997) is on view at the New York Public Library.
Photo by Tara Fedoriw-Morris / Courtesy of the NYPL
Tour the Hispanic Museum and Library
Admission to the Hispanic Museum and Library is always free, but you can enhance your experience by taking a free guided tour of the collections on Fridays and Saturdays at 2 p.m. The tours take guests through highlights of the museum’s various collections and are a good way to familiarize yourself with one of New York’s most underrated institutions. Works by Goya, El Greco, Orozco and others are on display. Fridays and Saturdays at 2 p.m. through Dec. 15, Upper Manhattan; details here.
Go ice skating
Skating at Bryant Park’s Winter Village is free, but there’s a catch: You have to bring your own skates. If you don’t have any, rentals start at $18 and go up to $55; off-peak hours are cheaper. Through March 3, Bryant Park; details here.
A scene from Bryant Park's Winter Village
Photo by Colin Miller / Courtesy of Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
Write silently during a special happy hour
November may be National Novel Writing Month, but you can continue your work in peace throughout December by attending Silent Writing Happy Hour on Tuesdays at Pete’s Candy Store. The evenings kick off with short readings and prompts to help writers find inspiration. Then you’re free to knock out the next Booker Prize winner or stare at a blank page, wondering what you possibly have to say. The choice is yours! At the very least, you’ll surround yourself with other writers who can commiserate. Tuesdays, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. through Dec. 19, Williamsburg; details here.
Courtesy of Pete's Candy Store
Take your dog (or hang with other dogs) on Governors Island
Dog owners and dog lovers alike can start to enjoy traffic-free, crowdless nature with their pups on Governors Island this December. While the island is usually off limits to all dogs but service dogs, its Winter Dog Days open up more than 170 acres to four-legged companions who will likely relish the chance to play in wide-open spaces. There’s even a new dog run in Colonel’s Row where you can take the leash off your pets and let them roam free against the stunning backdrop of New York Harbor. Begins Dec. 1, Governors Island; details here.
Dogs in the snow at Governors Island.
Courtesy of The Trust for Governors Island
Go see Latin Jazz by a Grammy-nominated artist
The MAD Bar and Lounge, a "Mad Men"-inspired haunt inside the NH Collection New York Madison Avenue hotel, hosts live Latin jazz with no cover charge every Thursday night. Grammy-nominated Colombian pianist Hector Martignon performs, and it’s a good excuse to get dressed up in the middle of the week, have a cocktail, and pretend you’re Don Draper contemplating his place in the universe while jazz piano provides the soundtrack to your thoughts. Thursdays, 8:30 p.m., Murray Hill; details here.
See Manet and Degas at the Met before it’s too late
The Met’s "Manet/Degas" exhibition, featuring two legendary frenemies of French painting, has won rave reviews from tourists and locals alike. With more than 160 works on display, you’ll get unique insight into two masters who redefined painting. Through Jan.7, Metropolitan Museum of Art; details here.
Take pics with the Rockefeller Center tree
It’s Christmastime in New York City, for crying out loud — you need to go see the tree! It’s a marvel of man and nature: several stories tall, decorated with a 900-pound star designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, illuminated by a team of engineers and selected every year by Erik Pauze, head gardener for Rockefeller Center. While you’re in the neighborhood, check out Fifth Avenue's storefront displays; on Sunday afternoons, you can enjoy the streetscape car-free, thanks to the city's Open Streets program. Through Jan. 13, Rockefeller Center; details here.
Tagged
brooklyn
governors island
bryant park
rockefeller center
activities
manhattan
broadway
things to do
brooklyn bridge park
culture
dyker heights
winter
hudson yards
events
new york public library
art
holiday lights
bushwick
new york city
fifth avenue
greenwich village
Anthony Schneck
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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